Graveling tool



Patented Oct. 26, 1937 PATENT OFFICE GBAVELING TOOL Leslie A. Layne and Harold 0. Block, Houston, Tex. said Block asslgnor to said Layne Application February 3, 1936, Serial No. 62,028

12 Claims. (Cl. 166-21) The invention relates to a graveling tool whereby gravel may be deposited at the desired elevation in a well bore.

It is well understood that in the drilling of wells the desired fluid occurs in various porous stratum and that it is of advantage to enlarge the cavity as much as possible in the porous stratum so that the exposed surface thereof for the drainage of desirable fluid will be greater.

It is also desirable to filter out foreign matter from the fluid being recovered and to this end it is the practice to form an enlarged cavity in the porous formation and to then fill this cavity with a filtering material such as gravel. This gravel deposit is usually positioned about the eduction tube or strainer so that a filtering body is formed in this matter.

The present invention directs itself to a tool which may be lowered through the pipe into the well so as to discharge gravel in the cavity about the pipe and to thereafter remove the tool so that it will not interfere with the production of fiuid from the well.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a tool which may be lowered into the 'pipe in the well and so arranged as to form a seal with the discharge port in the pipe so that all of the gravel and its carrier liquid will be discharged from the pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a graveling tool which can be moved into alignment with a discharge port and form a seal about such port.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tool for placing gravel in wells which can be lowered into and removed from the well bore.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a graveling tool which will form a seal with the discharge area in the pipe and at the same time permit a return flow of the carrier liqhid therethrough.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective sleeve which will cover the discharge in use. a

It is also an object of the invention to provide the combination of a graveling tool having a packer thereon.

Other and further objects 'of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view through a pipe in the well bore in which the graveling tool port in the pipe when the gravelingtool is not,

has been lowered and is ready to be set in graveling position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view of the pipe when the graveling tool is not being used and illustr'ating the sealing sleeve to cover the dis- 5 charge port in the pipe.

Fi s. 3 and 4 are sections taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Fig. 1.

The pipe which is positioned in the well bore is indicated generally at 2 and usually includes 10 a section of strainer pipe 3 on the lower end thereof. A coupling 4 serves to connect the strainer 3 with what is generally termed the liner 5. This liner is in the form of a piece of pipe which extendsupwardly from the strainer 15 and in event the strainer is of less diameter than the usual c'asing then the upper end of this liner is sealed with the inside of the lower end of the casing. In some wells, however, the liner and casing are in one piece and in other wells 0 the liner extends to the surface as a separate string of pipe inside of the casing. Regardless of which form is used the liner 5 is believed to be sumcient to illustrate the operation of the present invention. 25

It will be understood that a cavity has been formed about the strainer 3 and that this cavity is to be filled with gravel by discharging it from the liner 5 through a discharge port i. This port. is formed on the inside of the pipe or liner 5 39 and is preferably above the coupling 4 and the strainer 3.

The graveling tool is shown generally at Ill and is lowered into the well bore by means of a string of pipe M. This pipe may be a special 35 graveling string of pipe or it may be, any string of ordinary pipe. The lower end of this string of pipe carries a coupling 13 which is threaded to the string at i l. This coupling is of special construction having a plurality of openings 15 40 spaced circumferentially therein whereby a flow of fluid may move upwardly through the tool it) and into the area It between the setting string and the liner 5.

The coupling i3 is threaded internally at its 45 lower end to receive the packer setting collar 18 which is formed with a shoulder l9 thereon against which the upper end of the resilient packer 20 is arranged to abut. This packer is preferably arranged upon a mandrel 2! which is ,50 positioned inside of the packer and extends above the collar 18 and has a ring 22 thereon to suspend the mandrel on the collar id. The packer is supported at its lower end by a collar 23 which is carried by the upper portion 24 of a clutch mem- 55 v hold the mandrel 2| in position to support the packer 20. A discharge pipe 30 for the gravel is arranged to form a connection between the setting string II and the discharge port I. The end or this pipe 30 forms a discharge opening 3| which is arranged to be moved into alignment with the discharge port I in the liner 5. This alignment occurs because of the clutch arrangement 25' which has its lower portion 33 fixed in the lower part of the liner 5.

The clutch 25 has stepped areas 34 which are complementary on the portions 24 and 33 so that when the tool I0 is lowered into position a slight rotation thereof will cause the parts to move into the position shown in Fig. 1 with the ports I and 3| in exact alignment. The pipe 30 extends upwardly and has a sliding seat at 35 inside of the lower end of the setting string ll.

When the gravel is to be positioned in the well the tool I0 is lowered with thestring ll until it approaches the elevation shown in Fig. 1. A slight rotation then causes the stepped portions of the clutch 25 to move into engagement as seen in Fig. 1. When the operator is unable to rotate the operating string I l he is then informed that the clutch is properly set and that the ports I and 3| are aligned.

The next step is to lower some 0! the weight of the graveling string ll onto the coupling I! so that the top collar l1 above the packer will move downwardly to cause expansion or the packer.v

. The lower collar 23 is held stationary by the clutch so that the flexible packer 20 will be expanded inside of the liner 5. In this manner a seal will be formed at the position 40 around the circumference of'the port I so that any material, either fluid or solid, discharged from the pipe 3| will be caused to move out through the liner 5 and cannot move into the cavity inside of the liner.

It will be noted that the mandrel 2 I is not compelled to move in either direction by the expansion of the packer, but is floating in between the collars I 8 and 23. The slip joint at 35 allows the discharge pipe 30 to remain stationary as the packer is expanded. In this manner the discharge pipe 30 will have little, ifany, movement during the packer setting operation and in view of the fact that the port 1 is considerably larger than the discharge opening 3| it seems obvious that the pipe 30 wil1-always be within the periphery of the discharge port I.

With the packer set and the pipe 30 in position the gravel will be discharged downwardly usually in combination with a carrier liquid which is delivered at a relatively high velocity to carry the gravel into the well cavity. The carrier liquid when discharged into the cavity will drain back through the strainer 3 and will be forced upwardly through the mandrel 2| and the ports l5 into the area [6 between the setting string and collar. This is the return flow of carrier, liquid and it will discharge from the top of the well bore.

After the gravel has been deposited the washing liquid may be circulated in this same manner in order to wash the gravel free of any foreign matter and when the operator observes the returns clearing up he is then advised that the gravel has been deposited and washed clean. It is then only necessary to raise the weight 0! the setting string I l and the entire graveling tool can in this manner be withdrawn from the well.

Ii it is desired to close the port I a sleeve such as 50 may be dropped or lowered into the hole in any desired manner so that it will move into the liner 5 in the position shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of this sleeve 50 is formed with a plurality of spring fingers 5i which carry outstanding lugs 52 which are arranged to engage in the undercut sockets 53 formed in the liner. the sleeve 50 is latched in position and cannot be removed except when a suitable tool is engaged in the threads 54 to exert a considerable pull and release the lugs 52 from the sockets 53. The lower end 55 of this sleeve is formed the same as the 10 bottom of the top clutch body 24 to engage with the bottom clutch body 33. In this manner it is insured that the discharge port 1 will be completely closed and there can be no inflow of either liquid or solid material into the well except 1.5 a

through the strainer 3.

Broadly the invention contemplates a graveling tool which may be readily lowered into and removed from a well bore when a graveling operation is to be performed.

What is claimed is:

1. A graveling tool for discharging gravel in, wells comprising an outer pipe having an opening therein, a stop member in said pipe, a ,discharge tool adapted to be moved into said pipe and to 25 abut said stop member, a packer on said last tool to engage the inside of said pipe to seal about said opening, a discharge port through said packer, and means to deliver gravel to said port through said packer.

2. A graveling tool for discharging gravel in wells ,comprising an outer pipe having an opening therein, a stop member in said pipe, a discharge tool adapted to be moved into said pipe and to abut said stop member, a packer on said last tool 35 to engage the inside of said pipe to seal about said opening, a discharge port through said packer, means to deliver gravel to said part through said packer, and interengaging means on said discharge tool and said stop member to 40 align said opening and port.

3. The combination with a pipe in a well wherein gravel is to be deposited or a gravel discharging tool, ports in said pipe and tool, means to align said ports, and a packer to seal the connec- 45 tion between said ports. 1 g

4. The combination with a pipe in a well where-- in gravel is to be deposited of a gravel discharging tool, ports in said pipe and tool, means to ali n said ports, a packer to seal the connection between 50 said ports, and a return passage through said tool for the gravel carrying liquid.

5. A gravel discharge tool for use inside or a .pipe within a well bore comprising a body, a

gravel discharge line projecting laterally there- 55 through, and a packer on said. body adapted for expansion to seal about said line where it projects from said body.

6. A graveling tool for wells comprising a body, a packer thereon, a gravel line projecting laterally i'rom said body and packer, a liquid return passage through said body around said line, and nieans to expand said packer to seal about said line, an expansible packer means to seal about said discharge line, and means to cooperate with the pipe through which the gravel is being discharged to orient said tool.

8. A well screen and liner therefor, a port 70 through said liner above the screen, a graveling tool to be lowered into said liner, dental clutch members on said tool and liner to orient said tool with said port, a gravel line carried by said tool, packer means on said tool which is expansible to In this manner 5 7. A graveling toolincluding a gravel discharge seal the inside of said liner about said port whereby the gravel from said line will discharge from said pipe, and a liquid return passage through said tool for the carrier liquid rising through said screen.

9. A well graveling tool including a body to seat in the pipe about which the gravel is to be deposited, said body including a mandrel, a gravel discharge pipe supported by said mandrel, a packer on said mandrel, and a slip joint connection between the body and said mandrel whereby said packer may be expanded.

10. A well screen and liner therefor, a port through said liner above the screen, a graveling tool to be lowered into said liner, dental clutch members on said tool and liner to orient said tool with said port, a gravel line carried by said tool,

means on said tool to seal the inside of said liner about said port whereby the gravel from said line will discharge from said pipe, a liquid return passage through said tool for the carrier liquid rising through said screen, and a sleeve to be deposited in said liner to cover said port after the graveling operation is completed.

11. In a well to be graveled, a liner, a gravel discharge port therethrough, a stop in the liner below said port, a closure sleeve to be deposited in said liner to engage said stop and to. cover said port, and means to latch said sleeve in said liner.

12. A graveling tool for wells having a pipe therein including a body, expansible means thereon to seal between said body and the well pipe, a return passage through said body and expansible means, and a graveling pipe extending into said body.

LESLIE A. LAYNE. HAROLD C. BLOCK. 

